


Paper Swans and Broomsticks

by izthebookfreak



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, Agnsty, F/M, Hospitals, Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:09:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26918638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izthebookfreak/pseuds/izthebookfreak
Summary: When Adrien is in a waiting room after Chloé is injured in an akuma attack, his life only becomes more complicated when a brunette offers him some coffee.Version #2: Marinette goes crazy.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Kudos: 26





	Paper Swans and Broomsticks

**Author's Note:**

> Again, there's actually two versions of this story because I couldn't decide how I thought Marinette would react. This is the second version! Go check out the first one!

The akuma had been aiming for Adrien.

This wasn’t out of the ordinary. Akumas usually aimed for him. The taunting and teasing and horrendous puns made himself an easy target. But Adrien didn’t mind; that was the point. If it didn’t hit Adrien, it would hit Ladybug, and that couldn't happen.The world needed Ladybug. No one needed him.

Thankfully, the akuma’s colossal fireball didn’t hit Ladybug. The akuma was defeated, the day was saved, and most of the world moved on. Adrien saw the flame soar past him. Heat grazed his ear, relief coursing through his veins. But he could still hear the scream rip through the sky and see the burning skin.

“Are you here for Chloé Bourgeois?”

  
Adrien’s head snapped towards the voice, his mind back returning to the room. It was bland, like most hospital rooms. Boring tables covered with unread magazines and overcomplicated pamphlets. Adrien had been there for over five hours now and hadn’t touched a single tabloid. He couldn’t do anything other than think of that fire rushing past him and wish it had hit him.

“Excuse me, sir. Are you Chloé Bourgeois’s brother?”

_Oh. Right._

The boy didn’t move from his seat in the ER but craned his head so he was looking towards where the voice came. It was another nurse, this one short and plump, peering from behind wired glasses.

  
Adrien flashed a fake smile, the one that made him a millionaire. “No, I’m her roommate. Adrien Agreste.”

“Should we expect any immediate family?” The nurse’s voice was screechy. Adrien preferred the second nurse, at least her voice wasn’t disarming.

“No,” Adrien’s voice was soft in comparison. “They’re in Italy for a press release. I’m the only one here.”

_I’m the reason this happened._

The nurse handed Adrien a clipboard. Attached were several pieces of paper, each with dozens of blank lines and unchecked boxes.

Adrien shook his head, “Is she okay? Is there any update?”

The nurse furrowed her brows, as if annoyed by the question. “She’s still in surgery,” she said. Spit flew from the nurse’s mouth while she spoke, “We’ll be out with an update soon. Bring the paperwork to the front desk when you’re done.”

Adrien watched the nurse waddled back into the restricted area and prayed that the next one sent would be younger.

The boy cursed, looking down the stacks of paper. He read the dotted lines: _patient name, DOB, current employment…_

“This is ridiculous,” he spoke to himself. “None of this is going to help her.”

The boy reached for the green string tied to the clipboard and realized the previously attached pen was missing.

Adrien frowned. Of course, they gave him a booklet and no pen. He made quick mental note of how useless this hospital was.

The boy sighed, reluctantly leaving his chair and trudging to the closest desk. Sitting here was a younger nurse, probably fresh out of college, paired with a blonde pixie cut and bright pink lips.

She was folding a paper swan. Adrien made a second mental note.

“Excuse me,” he started, “Is there any way I could get a pen?”

The girl looked up and grinned. Gosh, were people always this happy? “Of course, I’m afraid all I have is pink though.”

Adrien raised an eyebrow, “Pink?”

“Pink is a jovial color,” the nurse insisted, presenting Adrien with a very pink and very sparkling writing utensil. “It makes the drab paperwork more fun.”

“Looks like you're being very productive,” he said, eyeing the swan. His hand sheepishly grabbed the pen. “Thank you, that should be-”

“YOU LET ME IN THESE DOORS THIS SECOND OR I SWEAR I’LL KICK ALL YOUR ASSES.”

Adrien froze and the world stopped with him. The words themselves were strange and unorthodox (very unprofessional for a hospital) but the voice… Adrien knew that voice.

He turned, peaking through the glass office. Across the hallway was a woman, similarly aged to him, attempting to fight off three nurses. Two were on the ground and one was fending the crazed girl off with a broom. Her dark hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and she sported a college hoodie and old jeans. The girl slung a pink backpack across her shoulder. She looked tired, really tired, but anger and injustice fueled her.

Adrien sucked in a breath. It was Ladybug.

He always thought he’d never see her without the mask, or if he did he wouldn’t be able to recognize her, but there she was. He knew that voice and those eyes, blue eyes. She was fierce, strong, and stocked with rage. _His_ Ladybug.

“I need to see her,” Ladybug spat, gripping the broom. “Chloé Bourgeois. She’s the burn victim from today’s akuma. I know her. Please, I have to see her.”

The plump nurse was there, armed with another clipboard. She didn’t look worried or even surprised. Did this happen a lot? Another mental note was made in Adrien’s mind.

“Ma'am, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“You don’t understand,” Ladybug pleaded. Tears clogged her throat. “I was there. I saw it. This is all my fault. Please, you have to let me see her.”

The blonde nurse clicked her tongue, “So sad, isn’t it?”

Adrien’s attention moved back to the blonde nurse. She was looking at Ladybug, too, sadness clouding her eyes.

“I went to high school with her, you know?” the blonde said. “Both of them, actually. Funny thing… they hated each other. Chloé used to say and do these awful things to her- really tried to ruin her life. Well, she tried to ruin all our lives, but especially Marinette’s. We never knew why. I think Marinette always fought for what was right, even when it was hard, and Chloé didn’t like that. I know it hurt her, though. I heard her cry in a bathroom once, talking to herself. It’s just so weird that she needs to see Chloé, of all people. I would’ve thought she’d be happy if Chloé got hurt. My girlfriend said she hoped Chloé died.”

Adrien’s eye widened and he gritted his teeth, “Excuse me. Chloé is a real person.”

“So were we,” the nurse responded. She looked back at the dark haired girl, now defending herself with a chair. “It makes sense, I guess. Marinette always was the best of us.”

His eyes went back to Ladybug. She stared at the nurse with those sapphires and cried, “Please. I need to see her. Let me see her.”

“Let her in,” Adrien demanded.

The blonde looked up at him, eyes wide with concern. “Excuse me?

“That’s my partner,” he said, channeling an authoritative stare. “She lives with Chloé and I. Let her in.”

She narrowed her eyes, “I don’t-”

“Do it,” Adrien snapped. He didn’t like to be forceful, it reminded him of his father, but right now he didn’t care. Chloé was dying, his world was basically ending, and Ladybug was a room away.

The nurse blinked, then nodded. She slipped out of her desk and made her way towards the nurses. Adrien watched as the blonde grabbed Ladybug’s hand. The girl ushered her with ease and soon Ladybug was on Adrien’s side of the corridor.

In that time, Adrien had returned to his seat, fiddling with the pink pen, but could hear the blonde nurse talking.

“She’s still in surgery,” she said. “The burns are pretty bad. They think she’s going to be okay, but there’s a long road ahead before she’ll be model-ready again.”

Ladybug spoke, this time her voice gentle, “Thank you, Rose.”

“Don’t thank me,” the nurse -Rose- stated. “Thank blondy. He’s the one who asked for you. Called you his _partner_.”

Ladybug frowned, sneaking a glance at Adrien. The boy buried himself in the clipboard. He pretended to fill out paperwork while he heard a footsteps move closer. He didn’t react until he heard a throat clear.

“Excuse me?”

Adrien looked up, his face a grimace. “May I help you?”

Ladybug’s eyes were so much bluer up close, and without the mask Adrien could see a row of freckles dance across her nose. “My friend says you asked for me.”

Adrien returned to his paperwork, “Not exactly.”

When he didn’t elaborate, Ladybug frowned. She crossed her arms, popping out a hit. Even frustrated, she was full of sass.

“Well, why’d you do it?” she asked. “I probably looked like a psychopath attacking all those nurses.”

The boy shrugged, not looking up from the work. _Patient’s age… 24_

“Any friend of Chloé is a friend of mine.”

Ladybug paused, then huffed. She chose the seat next to Adrien and he felt his heart skip a beat.

“She’s not my friend,” Ladybug finally said. She pulled out her journal from her backpack and began drawing. The strokes were light with each flick of her wrist, she was clearly practiced at whatever she was drawing.

Adrien raised an eyebrow, “Really? You threatened a gaggle of nurses for someone who is not your friend.”

The girl snorted, “Who says gaggle?”

“You're changing the subject.”

“Well, of course I’m worried,” Ladybug sighed. Adrien noticed her nails were digging into her legs. “Chloé got hurt on my watch. This is my fault.”

“Your fault?” Adrien mused. He flipped a page over and mentally cursed the hospital again. _Last attended school… Collège Françoise Dupont…_

“She was burned by an akuma,” Adrien reminded her. “The situation had nothing to do with you.”

Ladybug opened her mouth to speak, then shut it. She nibbled on her lip, thinking about how to respond.

Adrien smothered a smile. _Cornered_ , he thought while checking another box. _How the hell am I supposed to know what medicine she’s allergic to?_

The girl settled on changing the subject, glaring at the blond. “Well, who are you? You don’t seem too worried about Chloé, just sitting around.”

Adrien stopped, his hand halted mid word. He felt his hand shake as he shot a glare at Ladybug, “There isn’t much else to do.”

Ladybug laughed, a cruel noise he wasn’t expecting. She returned to her sketch. “You're her model boyfriend, aren't you. The one she always bragged about in grade school. Agreste?”

“I’m not her boyfriend,” he said.

“Whatever,” Ladybug said. She crossed out his sketch and moved on to another page. “I worked for your dad for two years. The Agreste-Bourgeois enterprise is littered with assholes.”

Adrien leapt from his chair, looking down at the girl. How could he have ever seen Ladybug in those eyes? “Take that back,” he snapped.

The girl shrugged, remaining seated. “No, I won’t. Your dad’s an asshole. Chloé’s an asshole. You probably are one too.”

Adrien balled his fist, knuckles whitening. “I can’t believe I helped you.”

The boy looked over at Rose, surrounded by pink post notes. He thought back to their conversation. She gushed over the girl as if she were a saint: Marinette always was the best of us.

His eyes returned to the girl, fury burning behind the faded blue eyes. No, he was wrong. Adrien slumped back in his chair, burying his head in his hands. “I can’t believe I thought you were Ladybug,” he muttered.

Adrien heard the girl drop her pencil. He looked up to her mouth hung open, her hand frozen as if still drawing.

The boy waved a hand in front of her face. She remained motionless. “Hello? You okay?”

“What did you say?” the girl sputtered.

“Ladybug? Look, I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy day. I’m really tired and I-”

The girl clamped Adrien’s mouth shut with her hand, “Shut up. Just shut up.”

Bewildered, Adrien froze. He watched as the girl eyed her surroundings and then used her free hand to grab his wrist. “Follow me.”

At this point, there wasn’t much for Adrien to do but oblige. The pair weaved through the hallways, the girl searching until she found an abandoned maintenance closet. She shoved Adrien in it and slammed the door behind her. Her arm reached for a thin string and flicked on a dim light. Then, she threw her weight against his, pinned the boy against the wall with her arms.

“Who the hell are you?”

Adrien held his hands up in protest, “Adrien Agreste, I told you-”

“Adrien Agreste has nothing to do with the Miraculouses,” she spat. “How did you… how do you...” The girl’s grip weakened, her arms beginning to shake.

The boy softly shook them off and gently grabbed her hands. They were small and soft, yet full of strange calluses. Who was this girl?

“Look, Ladybug is a friend of mine. We… work together in a sense. I got confused and I’m sorry. It’s been a really long day.”

The girl ripped her hands away and hugged her stomach. She wasn’t listening to him, not really. Tears fell down her face and she dropped to the ground. Adrien stood, dumbfounded. “I have spent a decade hiding my secret, and you figured it out in fifteen minutes.”

Adrien’s breath hitched. He fell to her side and wrapped her in an awkward side hug. “Look, if you’d just let me explain, I-”

“My best friend is the creator of the Ladyblog and she doesn’t know,” a sob interrupted her but she kept going. “My parents don’t even know. I once transformed in front of a child and convinced her that it was a magic trick. And now you know. You know and Chloé could die and it’s all my fault.”

The girl dissolved into a thousand sobs. She curled up into herself and Adrien felt his own eyes misting.

“Ladybug, look at me,” Adrien cupped her face and wiped a tear off her cheek. “It’s not your fault, okay. I was there too. Everything was moving too fast and we couldn't save her. We can’t save everyone.”

She shook Adrien’s hand away, “It’s my job to save everyone. You don’t understand, you’re not a superhero.”

Adrien smiled, a small, genuine smile. “Ladybug, I completely understand.

Ladybug looked up, her eyes clouded in tears and still so brilliantly blue. They squinted, searching Adrien’s eyes for some sort of divine answer. The girl raised her hand, slowly cupping it around Adrien’s cheek. Her touch was warm, sending electric pulses across his face.

“Green eyes,” she murmured.

“Blue eyes,” Adrien responded, fanning a collected demeanor.

Her hand left his face and moved to his hair. It was clean cut, he had been at a photoshoot when the akuma struck. Ladybug ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing it into a poofy mess.  
She was so close now, inches from his face, and it took everything in his power not to kiss her.

Ladybug’s lips curled, “Blond hair.”

“Dark hair,” Adrien commented.

Ladybug’s hand left her hair and returned to his face. She lifted her free hand and covered Adrien’s face, leaving an opening for his eyes. It was a makeshift mask, of sorts. Her eyes scanned his face, again.

She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again.

Adrien gently removed Ladybug’s hands and took them into his own. He flashed a cheeky grin, “Hey, Ladybug.”

Ladybug smiled, “My silly Chat Noir."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Go look at version 1! And check out my other fics while you're at it!  
> Come bother me on Tumblr!
> 
> -Iz


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